Valveless steam distribution



Dec. 26, 1944. V "v, E HAsTlNGs 2,365,756

VALVELESS STEAM DISTRIBUTION Filed July 20, 1943 Patented Dec.` 26, 1944UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,365,756 VALVEIIESS STEAM DISTRIBUTIONVictor E. Hastings, Los Angeles, Calif. Application July 20, 1943,Serial No. 495,505v 1 Claim. (CI. 121-101) This invention is a steamengine having a valveless steam distributing system.

This invention has forvan object to provide a structural system whichtotally eliminates all moving valve elements "other than the powerpiston which is provided with rigid elements for the function ofadmitting steam (or` other eX- pansive power medium) to a double actionprinciple power chamber for the propulsion of the piston on its everystroke,. and the invention further involving the principle in and bywhich the piston itself forms the single part consti-. tuting means forautomatic uncovering of certain exhaust ports at the completion of eachpower stroke.

Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a steam engine of aminimum number of movable parts, and to provide a steam engine in whichthe piston constitutes not only the power transmitting member lbut alsois the sole means for the distribution, that is admission and exhaust,of the expansive fluid medium power source.

, Further, an object is to provide a simple, practical and reliablemeans for priming the engine and for the relief of |'back pressure inthe possible event that 4the piston should Vcome to rest after a periodof useful operation in such positions that it could not start initialpower stroke.

An additional object is to provide a steam engine of simple, rugged andlow cost construction, and devoid of complex and fragile small operatingelements.

The invention consists in certain advancements n the art of expansive,power fluid engines as set forth in the ensuing disclosure and having,with the above, additional objects and advantages as hereinafterdeveloped, and whose construction, combinations and details of means,and the lmanner of operation will be made :manifest in the followingdescription of the herewith illustrative embodiment, it being understoodthat modifications, 'variations and adaptations may be resorted towithin the scope, spirit and principle of the invention as it is moreparticularly claimed in the addendum.

Figure 1 is an axial section of the engine. showing thevpiston at theleft-hand limit of stroke.

Figure 2 is a -broken-away end view of the engine to show the primingand the relief valves.

Figure 3 is a detail showing the priming valve in open position.

The engine includes a power piston 2 which has an axial length nearlyequal to one-half i nected by a steam drum I'I.

the length of the steam chamber 3 of the engine cylinder 4 and whichcylinder is medially surrounded by an annular exhaust pocket 5 having anannular series of exhaust ports 6 through the wall of the cylinder intothe steam chamber 3.

The series of ports 6 is located about on the mid cross-p1ane of thecylinder and are of a length to be fully uncovered by the piston ateither of its eXtreme positions whereby to effect a rapid and fullexhaust of the steam chamber at each piston stroke.

From one end of the piston extends a conventional piston rod 1.

Fixed rigidly to, and extending from, each end of the piston is a pairof coplanar tail rods 8--9 reciprocating in respective port holes Ill-II in the opposite cylinder heads I2 of the engine chamber 3. Immediatelyadjacent to the ends of the piston the rods 8-9 have passageways I3which lie in the holes Ill-II when the piston has carried the tail rodsinto register with the respective heads I2 of the engine.

The heads. I2 constitute the inner walls of end steam chests I4 and I6longitudinally con- The tail rod steam passageways I3 are of such lengththat when they are moved by the piston into therespective steam chestsI4 and IB ample flow capacity is had for full head of steam into theclearances I8 in the heads I2. The piston then moves away from thecommunicated steam head and the passageways I3 thereat shift inward asto the relative head and cut-off steam, and thereafter the piston ismotivated by the expanding steam trapped on its last loaded end. As thepiston reaches the end of its stroke., say to the right hand, Fig, 1,its left hand end will uncover the centrally located series oi exhaustports Ii and exhaust is effected. About concurrently with the opening ofthe exhaust ports by the piston body the tail rod passageways I3, nowthose on the right hand end of the piston, will run into the right handend steam ychest I 6 and live steam will be admitted to the right handend of the steam chamber 3 and the piston will be driven toward the lefthand side.

When the engine is stopped it is possi-ble that the piston 2 will .be ina position such that its steam passageways I3 will not be in either ofthe steam chests. In that event steam can be admitted directly to thedesired end of the chamber 3 by way of a simple priming valve 20 leadingfrom its respective steam chest; there beingsuch a valve for each chest.Each cylinder head has a simple relief valve yor cock 2I to be openedwhen priming steam drives the piston toward its end of the engine. Thesevalves are normally closed.

What is claimed is:

A steam engine including a. mid-length exhaust cylinder having a head ateach end and a steam chest on each head, a piston Working in thecylinder and having an axial piston rod, and tail rods rigidly xed oneach end of the piston and reciprocating through the said heads andchests;

said tail rods having diametrical, axially unob- 10

